Wood burner instalation

[ash1]

Sorry if this Q has been asked many times before but, i`m looking at fitting one and was wondering if the brickwork around it (which is an existing chimney but needs a bit of a face lift )needs to be a firebrick plus what is used to cover the hole above the stove. It`ll be fitted into an adequate gap so it won`t be to close to the walls. Also do I need to fit a liner all the way to the outside or is there just a short length that fits onto the top of the stove. Many thank

 

[oilman]

Standard bricks are ok. The flue, which must be suitable for wood burners should go to the top of the chimney. Solid fuel stoves are covered by building regs, and you should have building control approval for the installation.

 

[ash1]

Many thanks, back to the drawing board I think

 

[Freddie]

Many thanks, back to the drawing board I think

Ash the flue pipe from you stove is ok as long as it goes up into your chimney ( around 3-4 ft ) and as long as your chimney is clear and sound so the smoke can escape.

The hole you refer to i think is the gap around your 4-6" flue pipe from the stove when places in the chimney? All you have to do is get a metal plate made that can be fire cemented or screwed onto the base of your chimney and your flue pipe fits into it, which is basically to stop all your heat escaping from your stove

Come back if we are on the same lines

 

[ash1]

Freddie I think we`re on the lines, the gap i`m on about is well the inside of the chimney breast (14*40 inches). So the plate that your on about obviously has a hole in it to fit the flue through, so are these readily available or would I have to have it made to suit the opening. Many thanks

 

[Freddie]

Freddie I think we`re on the lines, the gap i`m on about is well the inside of the chimney breast (14*40 inches). So the plate that your on about obviously has a hole in it to fit the flue through, so are these readily available or would I have to have it made to suit the opening. Many thanks

No Ash unfortunatly you have to make them yourself.

It only has to be a thin piece of steel and its only purpose is to stop the heat from your stove disapearing up the chimney, but dont make it super permanant as some time in the future you will have to sweep the chimney.

Another way around it is as Oilman has partly explained--

You get a flexible flue liner or rigid stainless if sutiation allows.

Then you buy a cover which fits on the flue and drops over your chimney pot from the top/outside---then connect it to your stove flue at this 14x40 opening and get some fibreglass or rockwool loft insulation and pack it around the flue in this opening which will stop the heat going up the chimney and stop it rattling in the wind but you chimney pot must be sealed around the flue liner to do this as rain will enter and destroy the fibreglass

This way can work out in excess of 100 quid though but it is the best method

 

[Freddie]

Which ever way you do it have your chimney swept first

 

[ash1]

Once again cheers Freddie, i`ve done a search on these flue liners and they`re coming in at around £16 per meter (obviously it must be because of the heat that they`re that price) so, is it possible to put a couple of meter`s of vitrious enamel flue and to that attach the flue liners that are used for standard gas fires, reason being I can get a long enough it of this for free. Once again cheers

 

[Freddie]

No problem at all Ash as long as they are all the same diameter/size and wont rot away-- the flue is just a pipe that takes smoke from your stove up the chimney they have been made of many things, today they are made of vitrious enamel for looks or stainless steel, in the old days they were made of asbestos---so anything that wont rot and can stand heat.

2 things though---

you will need the flange which goes onto the flue but fits over your chimney pot at the top--standard item, and while up there pack the pot at the top with fiberglass to stop any rattle

And at the bottom above the stove pack some fiberglass in there to stop the heat going up the chimney and if it can be seen buy some tubs of fire cement and put this over the fiberglass aroung the flue and paint with high temp black paint and you will never see it and all heat in the room----no need to take apart to sweep for soot as the whole new flue liner will contain any soot which will sweep into your stove and vacuum out once every couple of years.

When you fix the flue together use stainless steel pop rivits which cost pennies and they will last as long as the flue---donkeys years

From time to time burn dry wood like pallets or waste wood from a timber yard as if you burn logs with out doing this you get a resiness soot build up in your flue which will need cleaning but the odd week of dry timber will clear it.

If you stick to clean wood --no coal or rubbish from the house the waste ash which is non igsistant is perfect for your garden--so no waste !

 

[ash1]

Cheers Freddie for your info hopefully by this time next week she`ll be burnin like a gud un.

 

[Richard Knight]

Hi Freddie - I've been reading your replies to Eddie with interest as this is a project I'm about to have a go at myself. Can you clear something up for me here though? You said:

And at the bottom above the stove pack some fiberglass in there to stop the heat going up the chimney and if it can be seen buy some tubs of fire cement and put this over the fiberglass aroung the flue and paint with high temp black paint and you will never see it and all heat in the room...

This does away with a metal plate but achieves the same aim I take it? i.e. no loss of heat up the chimney.

Also, does a flexible liner 'fit' over the stove flue by itself or do I need a connector of some sort?

Thanks,
Richard

 

[oilman]

There should be a solid pipe up to the plate at the bottom of the chimney, then once you are inside the chimney (and sealed from the room) you can use the flexi. I think building regs now require the use of a suitable flue liner for the whole length of the chimney.

 

[Freddie]

There should be a solid pipe up to the plate at the bottom of the chimney, then once you are inside the chimney (and sealed from the room) you can use the flexi. I think building regs now require the use of a suitable flue liner for the whole length of the chimney.

Well i am not going to argue with oilman as i dont know building regs on this if there are any, i can understand what he says as regarding a gas fire but not a wood burner as it kind of makes the whole chimney pointless and redundant if a reg has been bought out saying that you now need a complete length of flue inside your chimney, but you never know?????????

I have recently bought a solid fuel stove---Efel Harmony--and i just checked the instructions and it says nothing of building regs just guidelines but i dont doubt someone has now made one up, but it does list the flue liner as an option but says nothing of it being complete and one length.

Richard the metal plate is so you can remove it to clean the chimney, if the liner is installed all you basically need is something that is fireproof and wont let the heat escape up the chimney

 

[Richard Knight]

Thanks Freddie - that clears the 'plate' issue up.

I imagine we will infact use an enamel pipe between the back of the stove and the start of the chimney (c. 5 ft off the ground) for aesthetics as much as anything else. In terms of connecting these two together that's where I'm a bit puzzled - I assume I'll be looking for something to act as a sheath to connect these two together in some way, or do I rivet and then seal in some way?

As for the building regs, I'm sure they're different here in France anyhow!

Thanks,

Richard

 

[oilman]

fair enough if you are in france, but for the uk

On 1 April 2002, Approved Document J of the revised Building Regulations for England and Wales came into force. AD.J gives advice on all aspects of installing woodburning and multifuel stoves, and their associated flue liners and chimney systems.You will need Acrobat Reader to view this pdf version of ADJ. Download the pdf file (396kb) by clicking here

and this from the Harmony installation instructions

2. The Harmony multifuel stove is capable of operating with outstanding efficiency if the flue system
is correct. Because so little heat is wasted to the flue it is possible that moisture within the products
of combustion will condense if the heat losses within the flueway are too great and allow the flue
gases to cool. For this reason we recommend that the stove is fitted with a suitable stainless steel
flue liner, the same diameter as the flue spigot, to prevent the possibility of acidic damage to the
fabric of the chimney and damage to the stove which will reduce the longevity of the stove.